Surgical dressing and method of making it



Aug. 2, 1927.

Filed Dec. 29, 1925 .2 suut sheet 1 M pale/may Aug. 2, 1921;

w." R. DORMAN SURGICAL DRESSING AND METHOD OF MAKING IT Filed ep. 2 1925 2 Sh e ets-Sheet 2 gwowntoo Mime/van;

' Patented Aug. ,2, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATE WS'LLIAM ROWLAND DORMAN, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO JOHNSON & JOHNSON, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION .0]

NEW" JERSEY.

SURSIOAL DRESSING AND METHOD OF MAKING IT.

Application filed December 29, 1925. Serial No. 78,132.

My invention relates more particularly to surgical dressings .mainly intended for use in major operations such as abdominal operations. Such dressings, as heretofore supplied to the trade, embody a pad or filling of absorbent material and an envelope or covering of open mesh material such as gauze. The latter is generally secured as by stitching. This step not only increases the cost of the article but materially shares inv the compacting or condensing of the pad.

. Hence, the ordinary dressing, because of its relatively stiff or-compact arrangement, suffers the disadvantage that it is calculated to irritate the sensitive parts to which it is applied as well 1 as the further disadvantage that it does not permit freedom of expansion of the pad or filling under absorption.

Principal objects of my invention are to' overcome the disadvantages recited and to provide a surgical dressing and method of making it which not only reduces the cost of manufacture but insures an article characterized b its inherent softness and pliability and y the fact that the filling is at all times capable of uniform freedom. of

' expansion. v

I The method, generally stated, consists in ,applying a section of absorbent material of v f; predetermined width to a section. of coverj ng material or gauze of relatively greater width, the proximate edge of the absorbent 1 material being disposed nearer one longitucdinal edge of the gauze than to the other edge thereof. The narrow margin of gauze is then folded over to'enclose the proximate edge portion of the, filling. The structure as thus related is then severed at right hijitnglss to the guide or folded edge por #Qflftion, the res ting blank approximating 'flithree times the similar dimension of the finished article or dressing. If desired, and

as contemplated, the absorbent section or filling may be creased transversely to indi-. cate the line of fold and to facilitate the after folding, the creasing providing a central section and end sections which may or may not be of the same length as the central sec- 1 tion. The blank is then-folded longitudinally so that the end sections of the pad or filling overlie the central section and respectively one another; the relatively wide margin of the gauze is of course included in this folding operation. The longitudinally folded projecting gauze is then folded transversely of the blank and its free end tucked in the pocket provided atv the opposite side thereof. The structure thus completed is without open marginal edges and all folds or hinges are effectively secured Without stitching and yet the interlock is such as to promote softness and pliability and insure such flexibility as to provide for complete freedom of expansion of the fill-.

The invention is more or less convention ally illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view showing the gauze covering and the absorbent filling in their relative positions before folding.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the narrow margin of gauze folded and the filling ap ropriately creased.

ig. 3 is a similar view showing the first longitudinal fold of'the blank. I

Fig. 4 is-a similar view showing the final longitudinal fold.

Fig. 5 is a similar-view of the completed article.

As illustrated, the improved dressing embodies a covering element 1' of gauze or. other usual material, and a fillin element 2 of appropriate absorbent, mater1al.- These materials may come from a web or webs with the filling overlying the gauzeand relatively close to one longitudinal edge .thereof so us to provide a narrow gauze margin 3 and a relatively wider gauze margin 4. The narrow margin 3 is folded over the proximate edge of the filling and this initial fold or closed in edge constitutes a guide useful in the after operations. .The stock or blank as thus defined is then severed at right angles.

section 7, and the other end section 8 being folded over the end section 6. .This opera-' tion of courseincludes the longitudinal 'folding of the wide margin A. The latter, whose transverse dimensions exceeds that of the completed -article, is then folded'over thev folded endsection 8 and its free end tucked into the pocket or opening provided by pad folds 6 and 7.

By the foregoing method all marginal edges of the article with the exception of the entry to receive the tucking portion are completely closed and secured Without the necessity of resorting to sewing. But of greater importance is the fact that the dressing is inherently soft and yielding,in fact is so flexible that, the filling is permitted a full and uniform range of expansion. In short the interlocking folds may be said to provide hinges which insure the qualities mentioned.

Having described my invention I claim 1. The method of making surgical dressings of the filled type, which consists in providing a blank including covering material and filling material in superposed relation and in such order of arrangement as to provide relatively narrow and wide margins of covering material, folding the narrow marto cause it to lap the filling material, folding the blank longitudinally along preselected lines to provide. a multi-ply relationship defining an entry or pocket, and then folding the wide margin and tucking its free end in said pocket.

2. The method of making surgical dressings of the filled type, which consists in applying filling material to covering material in such way as to. leave a comparatively wide margin of covering material, folding said materials to rectangular form in a manner'to close all sides except that opposite the wide margin, reversing the latter and tucking its free ends in the open side.

3. The method of making surgical dressings of the filled ty e, which consists in providing a blank inc uding covering material and filling material in superposed relation and in such order of arrangement as to provide opposed relatively narrow and wide margins of covering material, folding the narrow margin to cause it to'lathe filling material and constitute a guide or after operations, creasing the filling material along preselected lines at right angles tothe guide fold, folding the blank longitudinally to define a pocket opposite the wide margin, and folding the wide margin over the nested longitudinal folds and tucking its free ends in said pocket. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM ROWLAND DORMAN. 

